Gas by-pass for crude oil storage tanks



April 8, 1952 w. c. SANDERS 2,592,072

GAS BY-PASS FOR CRUDE OIL STORAGE TANKS Filed Aug. 26, 1947iliagyaizders INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PAENToFFI'cs Wilburn C. Sanders, Grandview, Tex.

Application August 26, 1947, Serial No. 770,705

1 Claim.

This invention relates to crude oil storage tanks, and more particularlyto the construction of the test pipes thereof, the primary object of theinvention being to provide means whereby the gas fumes which areliberated from the tank when the usual gauge opening cover of the pipeis removed, will be liberated at a point above the head of the persongauging the oil level, thereby protecting the person against the illeffects caused by breathing the gas fumes, during the gauging operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a valve which iscontrolled by the operation of a foot pedal, leaving the gaugers handsfree to manipulate the usual gauge line in one hand, and a gauge linewiping cloth in the other hand.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the gauge pipe of an oil storagetank.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view" through one of the valve membersof the pipe.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the reference character 5 indicatesa storage tank designed for storing crude oil, the tank being providedwith the usual test pipe 6 that rises therefrom and communicates withthe tank.

Secured to the test pipe 6, is the valve housing 1 into which the lowerend of the pipe section 8 of the attachment extends, the pipe section 8forming an extension of thetest pipe 6.

Connected with the upper end of the pip section 8 is the pipe section 9which extends rearwardly, as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawing,to the upper end of which pipe 9 is secured the pipe section 10, whichis of a length to discharge fumes above the head of the person makingthe test, thereby eliminating theill effects caused by the gaugerbreathing the gas fumes during the gauging operation.

The pipe section 9 is formed with a gauge line opening II, which isnormally closed by means of the hinged closure l2 that is held to itsclosed position, by means of the coiled spring H.

The gauge line opening II is in a line with the valve l4, which issecured to the shaft l5 that extends through the side wall of the valvehousing I, th valve l4 including the valve member I6 that seats againstthe valve seat ll formed within the valve housing I. A slot I2 is formedadjacent to the opening ll, through which the gauge line, not shown,moves when the closure i2 is in its closed position, during gauging.

Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, the valve memberwill normally close the opening through the valve housing 1. Connectedwith the shaft l5 at a point exteriorly of the valve housing 1, is thelink I8 that has pivotal connection with the link I9 which connects withthe arm 20, the arm 28 being pivotally connected with the test pipe 6 at2|. Formed on one end of the arm 28 is the pedal 22, which when presseddownwardly, causes the links l8 and I9 to swing upwardly, moving thevalve H to its open position. The weight 23 which is secured to one endof the arm 28 acts to return the valve H to its closed position, whenpressure on the pedal 22 has been relieved.

In the use of the device, the person making the test, lowers the testline and weight, through the guide line opening I I, the hinged closureI2 having been moved to its open position. As the guide line movesdownwardly, it will rest on the valve member l6, and when the gaugerconsiders that the desired length of line has been deposited within thepipe sectionB, he will allow the hinged closure l2 to move to its closedposition. v The gauger now moves the valve member M to its 'openposition by pressing the pedal 22 downwardly, whereupon the line willmove into the tank, the crude oil collecting on the line indicating thelevel of the crude oil within the tank. During the period when the lineis passing from the valve member 18 to the bottom of the tank, the gasfumes will be liberated at the upper end of the pipe section [8 at apoint an appreciable distance above the head of the gauger, to the endthat the gauger will be subjected to the ill effects caused by breathinggas fumes liberated from the usual test pipes of storage tanks. Thereference character 24 indicates a hook on which an electric lantern orflash light may be hung, while the test i sbeing made in the dark.Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A test pipe for attachment to an oil storage tank comprising a valvehousing secured on the outlet end of the test pipe, a valve seat withinthe housing, an outlet pipe extending into the top of the housingterminating a substantial distance above the valve seat, and throughwhich fumes pass when the valve is open, a shaft extending into the sideof the housing, a valve secured to the shaft within said housing,engageable with the valve seat closing said outlet pipe. an armpivotally mounted on the test pipe intermediate the ends of the arm,linkage connected between the shaft and pivoted arm, a pedal formed onone end of the arm efiecting movement of the valve upon downwardmovement of said pedal, and a weight on the opposite end of the arm formoving the arm in one direction, returning the valve to its normalclosed position WILBURN C. SANDERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 289,937 Smith Dec. 11, 1883507,961 Beardsley Oct. 31, 1893 753,339 Widdop Mar. 1, 1904 1,093,452Metcalf Apr. 14, 1914 1,150,978 Thomas Aug. 24, 1915 1,614,117 GeldhofJan. 11, 1927 2,200,630 McCabe May 14, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 107,067 Great Britain June 18, 1917

